Monsoon Fury in Himachal: Kullu Cloudburst destroys 10 bridges, NH-205 blocked; Bilaspur on Red alert
Monsoon Fury in Himachal: Kullu Cloudburst destroys 10 bridges, NH-205 blocked; Bilaspur on Red alert
Shimla, July 8,
Relentless monsoon rains continued to wreak havoc across Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday, triggering flash floods, cloudbursts, landslides and widespread disruption to road connectivity.
The worst-hit Kullu district witnessed a cloudburst in Gadsa Valley that washed away 10 small bridges, cutting off several villages from the rest of the district, while authorities issued a red alert in Bilaspur district after a major landslide blocked the Shimla-Mataur National Highway (NH-205) near Kyarad in Solan district.
The cloudburst in Gadsa Valley unleashed flash floods that swept away nearly ten pedestrian and village bridges, isolating several habitations. Though no loss of human life has been reported so far, transportation, school education and access to healthcare have been severely affected.
Residents have been advised to stay away from rivers, streams and vulnerable slopes as heavy rainfall continues across the region.
In another major development, traffic on the Shimla-Mataur National Highway (NH-205) was completely suspended after a massive landslide near Kyarad. Bilaspur Police issued a public advisory asking commuters to avoid the affected stretch and use alternate routes until restoration work is completed.
Vehicles travelling from Bilaspur and Hamirpur towards Shimla have been diverted via Brahmpukhar, Jukhala, Jabbal Pul, Ranikotla, Kharsi, Darlaghat and Shimla.
Traffic from Shimla towards Bilaspur and Hamirpur has also been rerouted through Darlaghat and Ranikotla. Authorities have urged motorists to cooperate with traffic personnel, avoid unnecessary travel and give priority to emergency vehicles.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said light to moderate rainfall occurred at most places in the state during the last 24 hours, with heavy rainfall recorded at isolated locations. Sandhole in Mandi district recorded the highest rainfall of 8 cm, followed by Jatton Barrage in Sirmaur with 7 cm and Mandi town with 6 cm. Dharamshala, Murari Devi and Renuka also received 5 cm of rain each.
According to the IMD, the southwest monsoon remains active over Himachal Pradesh and widespread rainfall activity is expected to continue throughout the coming week.
Light to moderate rain is likely at most places, with heavy rainfall expected at isolated locations from July 8 to July 14. Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds of 30-40 kmph are also likely across many parts of the state, while Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti may experience sustained winds during this period.
The weather office has warned that Mandi, Shimla and Sirmaur districts are likely to witness heavy rainfall on Wednesday, while Kullu and Kangra are under a moderate to heavy rain warning. Heavy rainfall is also expected in Chamba, Kullu, Kangra and Mandi over the next few days as the active monsoon persists.
The IMD has cautioned that the prevailing weather conditions could trigger localized landslides, mudslides, waterlogging, traffic congestion, damage to vulnerable structures and disruption of essential services. People have been advised to avoid visiting rivers, rivulets and landslide-prone areas, strictly follow advisories issued by district administrations and refrain from unnecessary travel during periods of intense rainfall.
With the monsoon gaining strength over the state, disaster management authorities remain on high alert as continuous rainfall is likely to aggravate the risk of flash floods, slope failures and road blockages in the hill state over the coming days.
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